LAND OF PROMISE

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 17

LAND OF PROMISE

* - WEALTH OP ARGENTINA. The vogue of South America as a background for romantic history has undoubtedly declined of late years (states John o London’s Weekly’). It is difficult quit© to understand why, for even in Mr W. H. Koebcl’s book, ‘The New Argentina, knives are occasionally drawn and pistol shots fired over his sober pages. NOT ACCORDING TO TRADITION, Tho book tells a very broad story of modern life in Argentina, and coming as it docs from a lifelong student of the South American Republic, it may boy taken as authoritative. It is an attractive picture of a prosperous community, dwelling m a rich and pleasant land. The Argentina he describes is neither filibustering, unmoral, nor corrupt. In a defence of the integrity of the Argentine official he tells a dchghfcful story;— An official whoso office held very considerable financial responsibilities called on tho President ot tho Republic and pregen ted bis resignation. The man having proved himself an entirely capable official, tho Chief of State was curious to know the reason of his retirement. Tho other explained quite frankly that ho felt it difficult to continue, as ho had been offered- so many riches. “But,” said the Prcsidest, "why let that worry you? You would never accept them.” “So far,” replied) the official, “I hava not; but they are getting too near my price." As for filibustering, the only penny-dreadful area in this modern Argentina is tho extreme south,, in districts such as Chubot, where banks and ranches are sometimes raided and bands of bold brigands lead their lawless lives. WEALTHY CITIES. The supposed immorality of Buenos Aires ■and other Argentinian cities _is scarcely touched on by Mr lioebcl. In its place ho describes ia starch-shirlcd, closcly-guardedi family life, from which woman have only recently emancipated themselves to _ any extent, and which possesses an aristocracy of families as exclusive as any in Europe. Social disaster would result to any unmarried girl of the test people if she wero_ seen alone with a man in public or smoking a cigarette in any public place. Rich and varied as is the life of so fine a city as Buenos Aires, the wealth of Argentina. is derived from its campo. Mr Koebel gives a, very detailed account of life on the Argentina ranches, the development of its arable and mineral resources. The only complaint of this, fertile country of cattle, sheep, and corn is tho difficulty of obtaining customers in a war-shattered Europe. Its output would rapidly increase if exchanges could be made to approximate to the normal. Wind, aiic-r all, is the aspect of this country p Let us first of all take it in its more or less natural state. A green expanse, stretching in a flat sweep from horizon to -horizon, flecked in spring, summer, and autumn with flowers of every tint amongst which tho cattle browse and (ho homos and sheep feed. Here and there may rise an antheap on which that carrion bird tho carauoho will sit surveying the landscape and its possibilities with ins keen yellow-black eye. Hero and there runs a Hue of wire fences, and sometimes on almost every post silo ono of those tiny solemn owls who stare unblinkingly with a kind of watchful and sorrowful contempt at tho pas£or-sy. Mr Koebel tells a traveller's talc of how one of these creatures may Jie done away with. Ono has only, he relates, to gallop round them in a circle, and eventually the unhappy bird wrings- its own nock! THE PEOPLE AT HOME. In such country have grown up tho huge ranches from which wo obtain so ranch of our meat supplies. Tho life of tho cstancorio on the bigger ranches is described as ono sometimes of luxury and surrounded by , tho amenities of civilisation—telephones and motor cats; in some cares tho aeroplane is tt-ed as a method of transport. Of the character of tho Argentina citizen Mr Koebel has much to say. His amiability is carried to. a fault. His inability to u'A) tho discourteous “No” leads him to polito evasions, puzzling to ih;- foreigner, but- apparently as well understood ns a direct negative to his fol!o\v-c nntrynien. '‘Punctuality” in the mind of tbo average Argentine is a nuisance rather Ilian a virtue: — “Should you in inviting him to lunch or dine at a certain home lay stress on the phrase ‘ hosa Inglesa ’ —English house —a special term employed to imply that- 8 o’clock really docs mean 8 o’clock —ho will probably arrive at the time indicated. In the orinary way ... 8 o’clock will bring the guests at any time, say, between half-past 8 and 9, since the delay represents tho more or less accepted practice of (ho country.“ “Hosa Inglesa” is a great find among phrases. THE CAPITAL CITY. Of Buenos Aires itself wo got a picture of a city still progressing in its building, and sparkling with activity and bustle. JLr Koebel relates an •amusing story of trying to carry on a conversation of a_ serious nature with an Argentine of the chic world outside the steps of the Jockey Club. Every distinguido being known to each other, no sentence was completed without an interruption from one of his passing friends, and finally it had to ho abandoned, as tho distinguido was reminded that ho was already three-quarters of an hour late for his luncheon appointment. The more serious side of the book is devoted to a careful examination of the country as a producing centre and a detailed description of its industries. One is left with tho impression that it is still in its infancy—and that many opportunities still exist -for tho enterprising settler or investor. Tho lower class of labor is mainly recruited from Italy, Russia, Central Europe, and Scandinavia, but Mr Koebel eoes no reason why English colonics should not te established, except tho Argentine law that all settlers should bo naturalised.